Shooting in NE Oregon Leaves 2 Dead, 1 Injured

By
Dan Thesman.
Published Friday, October 4th, 2013

On October 3, 2013 at approximately 2:00 a.m., the Grant County Sheriff's Office (GCSO) was called and dispatched to the scene of a reported shooting of two adult males at a deer camp located about 9 miles southwest of Granite, Oregon. Oregon State Police (OSP) troopers and SWAT team were also dispatched to respond but before they arrived on scene GCSO advised the suspect was in custody.

Grant County Sheriff Glenn Palmer, Undersheriff Todd McKinley, Deputy Ben Stinnett, and Deputy Zach Mobley responded to the crime scene located on private property adjacent to Forest Road 1305. A preliminary investigation indicated two males ages 64 and 43 were fatally shot by a 14-year old male. All three are from Baker City, Oregon, and they were deer hunting and staying at an area cabin.

After the shooting, the cabin's owner fled the scene and drove to Granite where he solicited help calling for law enforcement and an ambulance.

After shooting the two victims, the juvenile suspect fled on foot and at some point shot himself in the right leg which was believed accidental. The suspect returned to the cabin pleading for help from another occupant. This person held the youth at gunpoint, then physically restrained and later duct taped the suspect to a chair.

Arriving GCSO officers entered the cabin upon arriving at the scene and took charge of the crime scene and juvenile suspect. The juvenile suspect, whose name is not released at this time, was transported to a Boise, Idaho area hospital for treatment of a non-life threatening gunshot wound.

On October 4, Sheriff Palmer released the deceased victims' names as MICHAEL PIETE, age 43, and KENNETH C. GILLILAND, age 64, both from Baker City.

The investigation is continuing involving Oregon State Police Criminal Investigations Division detectives and Forensic Services Division, Grant County Sheriff's Office, and Grant County District Attorney's Office.